Includes Giant-Size Invaders 1, Invaders 1-9, and Marvel Premiere 29-30.
There's a double layer of nostalgia when you're reading the original Invaders title. First, because it takes place during World War II (the 1940s); second, because it was created during the 1970s. So to some extent it's really a 70s vision of the 40s.
The characters are, for the most part, genuine 1940s Timely comic book characters (Timely became Marvel in later years). The Invaders as first formed consist of Captain America and Bucky, the Human Torch and Toro, and the Submariner; the characters are WWII-era characters, but they were never formed into an official group at that time. Still, it's not a bad concept. And the book includes a storyline featuring the Liberty Legion, another retconned WWII group consisting of genuine WWII-era characters (Patriot, Miss America, the Thin Man, the Whizzer, Red Raven, the Blue Diamond, and Jack Frost), an extra treat for those of us with a fondness for the Golden Age.
When I first read The Invaders as a kid, back in the 70s, I didn't care much for Frank Robbins' art at first--it was so different from what I was used to--but I got used to it, and this time around I've developed a greater appreciation for it. He was actually an excellent choice for the title, his action-oriented style reminiscent in some ways of what I've seen in reprints of WWII-era comics. As far as I can tell he gets the details right. (Except for the hair. The Torch has longer hair than any 1940s gent would have worn, and Cap and Bucky's lush 70s hairdos would never have passed muster in the military. Still, artistic license, and it's the detail you most often see done wrong in movies and television as well--great costumes, totally modernized hairdos.) The writer is Roy Thomas, and you either like him or you don't, and I generally do, having been a Marvel fan throughout the 1970s.
I'm assuming that at least part of the reason for reprinting this title at this time has to do with Marvel's upcoming miniseries, The Twelve (which I am definitely on board for, thank you ver much!), featuring still more actual old-time Marvel heroes brought into the present day. That and the fact that the comic featured Captain America, who I'm guessing sells pretty well at present.
In any case, The Invaders is absolutely a fun book. A lot of action, a little drama. A slightly different take on some of the heroes we know and love--a younger, brasher, more hot-tempered Namor, a less experienced but still confident Captain America--as well as reintroductions to some heroes not seen other than in occasional flashbacks since the Golden Age (the Torch, Toro, Bucky).
Now, I'm a fan of Brubaker's vision of Cap and Bucky, including their war experience. It makes sense to me. This title has, obviously, a different take on some things (such as willingness to kill), but the basic characterizations aren't so different--Cap of course is Cap, calm, stable, the voice of reason, mature beyond his years. Bucky in The Invaders is confident, enthusiastic, less reckless than you'd think, has a temper (and not nearly Cap's self-control), and occasionally goes against Cap's advice, but also displays courage, loyalty, enthusiasm, and some surprisingly impressive leadership skills (at one point leading the Liberty Legion despite being younger than anyone else on the team).
Namor and the Torch are their Golden Age selves, which is to say quick to anger, quick to fight, and prone to battling each other if there aren't enough Nazis to go around. The Torch has his emo moments, which I don't recall seeing so much in the Golden Age reprints I've seen, but the Invaders Namor is Namor--perhaps a bit more impetuous and less haughty, but as arrogant and hot-tempered as ever. I'm always happy to see Namor, and he's consistently one of the high points of this title
Unlike the Golden Age stories featuring these characters, which took place primarily in the United States (spybusting, for the most part), the Invaders operated mostly in the European theater, and seem to have been based mainly in London. They also tend to feature fewer non-powered villains (everyday Nazis and spies) and more supervillainous foes--the Red Skull made his debut in the 40s but was a far more dangerous foe in this book. Along with 70s creations such as Master Man and Baron Blood, he kept the more modern reader interested; I imagine that spies and so forth were far more interesting bad guys during the 1940s.
We also see in this volume (and I hope to see more trades in the not too distant future) the introduction of retconned Golden-Ager Union Jack, as well as his daughter Jacqueline, soon to become the superheroine Spitfire, who we've all seen in recent issues of Captain America.
So, verdict? Excellent book, I definitely recommend it to anyone with an interest in Golden Age characters, although keep in mind that the 70s sensibilities give the stories their own, somewhat different charm.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Monday, July 30, 2007
A good Monday.
The Big Box of Comics came today, early--and I've got that Invaders Classic trade in my hands--and I am happy. :)
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Thoughts after reading today's bloglines
You know what I don't find cute? Comic book publisher representatives kidding around about not buying the other company's products.
You know, because you should spend your money on their company's extra books for whatever big event they've got going on.
The correct reply to "We have to spend way too much money to keep up with your universe!" is not "Well, then, you need to stop buying anything else!"
Seriously, it's just a reminder of how our limited comic-spending resources are being stretched by these things. You really don't want to bring that thought to the front of our minds, guys.
You know, because you should spend your money on their company's extra books for whatever big event they've got going on.
The correct reply to "We have to spend way too much money to keep up with your universe!" is not "Well, then, you need to stop buying anything else!"
Seriously, it's just a reminder of how our limited comic-spending resources are being stretched by these things. You really don't want to bring that thought to the front of our minds, guys.
Saturday, July 28, 2007
A few more thoughts about the Black Widow
As I've said elsewhere, I've always liked the Black Widow. She's not really one of my favorite characters, and I don't follow her adventures closely, and I'm sure there are huge parts of her story that I just don't know, but I'm generally happy to see her show up in any comic I read, as I was in Captain America 27. So I'm wondering just why it is that I'd find it so annoying to have her become a love interest in that book--since otherwise I'm pleased with her presence there.
I think part of this has to do with how I was introduced to her, way back when.
The Black Widow was one of the stronger women of the Silver Age (not that that's saying a great deal). When she first appeared she was a villain, a Soviet spy attempting to seduce Tony Stark (no great challenge, that one) in order to gain information on his company.
She eventually teamed up with Hawkeye during his brief semi-villainous phase, at first using him for her own purposes but eventually falling genuinely in love with him, becoming more heroic, and finally defecting to the United States. Unfortunately, once she'd made those changes, become one of the "good guys," it seemed like she lost a little of her competence and autonomy.
And that's when I "met" her--in the pages of the Avengers. Natasha was still one of the more interesting women around, but she was also "Hawkeye's girlfriend," and you rarely saw her in action without him. There was plenty of angst when she started working for SHIELD; Hawkeye was not pleased about her absences or the peril she was often in (although I think he was less of a dick about it than Captain America was about Sharon Carter's dangerous missions in those days). Eventually they broke things off.
In later years, Natasha became involved with Daredevil; I don't really know much about this part of her life, but since the relationship took place in his book, she would have been part of his supporting cast by definition (i.e. "Daredevil's girlfriend"). You can't fault the writer--if s/he is writing a comic called Daredevil, then clearly Daredevil is going to be the book's focus.
I did read The Champions for a while, that somewhat odd team-up of the Black Widow, Hercules, Angel, Iceman, and a few others. Natasha was team leader, which was not bad for 1975. I'm told that she later hooked up with Hercules, although I'd stopped reading before that point. Presumably she escaped the "Hercules' girlfriend" thing in this case.
So while I think there's a lot of good stuff to be mined based on her prior relationship (such as it was) with the Winter Soldier, I think it's probably better stuff when it's "old friend" or "ex-lover" rather than a rekindlement. (Hm. Not a word, is that?) Since her own book is Mighty Avengers I think it's more likely that significant changes in her life would take place there, but all that time seeing Natasha associated primarily with someone else in their own title (and therefore often being portrayed as less awesome than she should be) has made me wary. I don't think that she shouldn't have a love life, but I'd be much happier if it happened in her own book where I can be more confident that she'll maintain the awesomeness.
I think part of this has to do with how I was introduced to her, way back when.
The Black Widow was one of the stronger women of the Silver Age (not that that's saying a great deal). When she first appeared she was a villain, a Soviet spy attempting to seduce Tony Stark (no great challenge, that one) in order to gain information on his company.
She eventually teamed up with Hawkeye during his brief semi-villainous phase, at first using him for her own purposes but eventually falling genuinely in love with him, becoming more heroic, and finally defecting to the United States. Unfortunately, once she'd made those changes, become one of the "good guys," it seemed like she lost a little of her competence and autonomy.
And that's when I "met" her--in the pages of the Avengers. Natasha was still one of the more interesting women around, but she was also "Hawkeye's girlfriend," and you rarely saw her in action without him. There was plenty of angst when she started working for SHIELD; Hawkeye was not pleased about her absences or the peril she was often in (although I think he was less of a dick about it than Captain America was about Sharon Carter's dangerous missions in those days). Eventually they broke things off.
In later years, Natasha became involved with Daredevil; I don't really know much about this part of her life, but since the relationship took place in his book, she would have been part of his supporting cast by definition (i.e. "Daredevil's girlfriend"). You can't fault the writer--if s/he is writing a comic called Daredevil, then clearly Daredevil is going to be the book's focus.
I did read The Champions for a while, that somewhat odd team-up of the Black Widow, Hercules, Angel, Iceman, and a few others. Natasha was team leader, which was not bad for 1975. I'm told that she later hooked up with Hercules, although I'd stopped reading before that point. Presumably she escaped the "Hercules' girlfriend" thing in this case.
So while I think there's a lot of good stuff to be mined based on her prior relationship (such as it was) with the Winter Soldier, I think it's probably better stuff when it's "old friend" or "ex-lover" rather than a rekindlement. (Hm. Not a word, is that?) Since her own book is Mighty Avengers I think it's more likely that significant changes in her life would take place there, but all that time seeing Natasha associated primarily with someone else in their own title (and therefore often being portrayed as less awesome than she should be) has made me wary. I don't think that she shouldn't have a love life, but I'd be much happier if it happened in her own book where I can be more confident that she'll maintain the awesomeness.
Friday, July 27, 2007
Who Wants to Be A Superhero, Season 2, Week 1 [Spoilers]
The kids have been looking forward to this for a while now, so we definitely watched it. I think it's a stretch to call this a reality show. That's not a bad thing--you miss the slice-of-life aspect, but you also miss the nastiness that seems to be part and parcel of most reality shows. Let's call it a game show.
I had wondered how they would be able to do this season--how they could retain the first season's charm without becoming too redundant. I thought at first that they were doing this by introducing a villain straight off, but that turned out not to be the case. Although the husband has a theory that, if the heroes had succeeded in rescuing Stan, the villain would have turned out to be "real" and an ongoing threat, and that since they did not, it became one of Stan's tests. I'm not sure I think that's likely--it seems like it would have complicated the rest of the season--but it's possible.
As for redundancy, the test where they discover the tires missing from their vehicle and have to find them? Where the real test is whether they notice the various bystanders in need of help? That was essentially the same test as in the first season, when the contestants were told to change into costume in a superheroic manner but the real test had to do with helping a lost child. You'd think that it wouldn't work again--presumably the contestants had all seen the first season--but very few of them passed the test. So...apparently doing the same things as last season won't necessarily be a problem for running the show, but too much of it could make for some dull television.
The girls haven't yet decided on favorites for this season, but there are still so many, and none have really had the opportunity to shine as individuals so far, so that's not surprising. Still, last year I recall them picking favorites as early as the first episode, based primarily on names and costumes but somewhat on persona as well, so apparently these folks don't stand out quite as much at this point. They both like the show and want to continue watching it. The eight-year-old was surprised that the heroes didn't "save" Stan but doesn't seem to consider it problematic.
Oh, the twelve-year-old thinks the special effects--such as they are--aren't good enough. Personally I think the low-tech thing adds to the appeal, but at least one pre-teen would like a little more glitz.
And they both think that this year's prize--the winner having an action figure made of him/herself--is far, far cooler than last year's!
I had wondered how they would be able to do this season--how they could retain the first season's charm without becoming too redundant. I thought at first that they were doing this by introducing a villain straight off, but that turned out not to be the case. Although the husband has a theory that, if the heroes had succeeded in rescuing Stan, the villain would have turned out to be "real" and an ongoing threat, and that since they did not, it became one of Stan's tests. I'm not sure I think that's likely--it seems like it would have complicated the rest of the season--but it's possible.
As for redundancy, the test where they discover the tires missing from their vehicle and have to find them? Where the real test is whether they notice the various bystanders in need of help? That was essentially the same test as in the first season, when the contestants were told to change into costume in a superheroic manner but the real test had to do with helping a lost child. You'd think that it wouldn't work again--presumably the contestants had all seen the first season--but very few of them passed the test. So...apparently doing the same things as last season won't necessarily be a problem for running the show, but too much of it could make for some dull television.
The girls haven't yet decided on favorites for this season, but there are still so many, and none have really had the opportunity to shine as individuals so far, so that's not surprising. Still, last year I recall them picking favorites as early as the first episode, based primarily on names and costumes but somewhat on persona as well, so apparently these folks don't stand out quite as much at this point. They both like the show and want to continue watching it. The eight-year-old was surprised that the heroes didn't "save" Stan but doesn't seem to consider it problematic.
Oh, the twelve-year-old thinks the special effects--such as they are--aren't good enough. Personally I think the low-tech thing adds to the appeal, but at least one pre-teen would like a little more glitz.
And they both think that this year's prize--the winner having an action figure made of him/herself--is far, far cooler than last year's!
Thursday, July 26, 2007
How to sell me a comic book
Has anyone ever done a study of comic readership? You know, something that tells you what percentage of comic readers are male or female, how many fall into what age ranges, the usual demographic stuff?
Even without that, I suppose it goes without saying that the girls and I are not the primary market for comic publishers. They're actual kids, and I'm a 45-year-old woman. Of course I'm also a comic fan of 30-something years standing, something that I'm guessing isn't as unusual as it used to be. That's a lot of my cash that's gone to them over the years, and I don't regret a penny of it. (Well, maybe all that X-Factor back in the '90s...) On the whole I'm not a great customer in terms of spending big bucks, but I'm a steady customer.
I do know enough about marketing to know that, a lot of the time, companies are thinking less about maintaining their current customer base than about adding to it, whether by adding new customers or by convincing existing customers to buy more of their product. Keeping me buying comics does not seem to be a problem. Getting me to buy additional comics might be, but it doesn't have to be.
Luckily, I do have fairly mainstream taste in comics, so in theory it shouldn't be too hard to appeal to me as a reader.
I like superhero books.* Marvel and DC. I rarely, rarely go beyond that limited area, and I really only get into certain titles within each publisher's catalog. That's a limitation.
I'm more likely to add to my list than to take something off, but I do tend to buy about the same number of comics every month and if I am going to remove a title there's definitely a last in, first out thing going on there. That's another limitation.
While I tend to buy the same things (limited comic budget and all that--something new that I'm not sure I'll like might mean cutting something old that I do know I like), I do occasionally add something new to my list. How does this happen?
I don't follow writers or artists. Brubaker's Captain America is my favorite title by far, but my enjoyment of it has not inspired me to pick up Daredevil, or Criminal, or any of his other undoubtedly-excellent works. There are writers and artists I particularly like--ones I'm pleased to see join the creative staff of a book I read, or disappointed to see go--but I don't seem to pick up new books based solely on the creators. (Although I'll probably be adding Wonder Woman back to the list when Gail Simone takes over, and I'm considering adding Supergirl back at some point when it's more actual-girl-friendly, but both of these are titles of interest to the twelve-year-old more than to me.) And I'm definitely not drawn by big-name creators--as far as I can tell it's pretty hit-or-miss whether someone who's good at writing novels or television scripts will also be good at writing comics.
I usually don't follow crossover storylines. (Not anymore. Got burnt out on that, oh, fifteen years back after one of the massive X-title crossovers. In fact, when I restarted my comic hobby, I didn't add any X-books to my list. I've got a long memory for some things.) I remember reading a post a little while back in someone's blog--sorry I don't recall which one--where the writer expressed surprise that someone might not make a point of buying both the Justice League and Justice Society issues of the recent crossover. Well, I'm not. (Both not surprised and not buying both sides. I dropped Justice League a few months ago and haven't re-added it so far.) Partly it's the comics-by-mail thing, I order ahead of time, no local comic shop and so forth, and don't necessarily read the solicitations in great detail. But mainly I like the Justice Society and I don't care for the Justice League at this point. (Granted that if I'd known that The Real Legion of Superheroes would be guesting, I'd probably have ordered the League books as well...but I didn't, so I didn't.) So if there's a major event including crossovers, I just buy what I usually buy without regard for other books included in the storyline. (If it turns out to be a good story, I can always fill in the gaps later if I like. I generally don't.) World War Hulk? Only where it appears in my regular reads. Because I'm not a Hulk reader. Now, I will sometimes buy event-specific titles if I'm interested in the goings-on, but I won't buy additional side titles just because there happens to be crossover content. (For example, I bought a number of the Civil War books, but didn't buy any Spider-Man because I just don't buy Spider-Man.) Civil War interested me. World War Hulk doesn't, perhaps because of its focus on a character I've never had much fondness for.
Yeah, I sometimes follow events. But I've addressed that elsewhere.
I do follow characters. That just means that I like Ms. Marvel, so I buy Ms. Marvel. (Just as an example. Not sure that "like" is the right word there at the moment.). I don't go out of my way to buy guest appearances, as a rule. Ms. Marvel guests in Heroes for Hire? Not buying Heroes for Hire. (I will occasionally make an exception for characters who aren't appearing regularly in their own books, such as the aforementioned old Legion of Superheroes. And I'll often give a book a look if, say, the Black Knight or other rarely-seen old favorite is in it, but it's not an automatic buy.) It's not strictly a nostalgia thing, although certainly characters I grew up with are most likely to be followed--but I also tend to pick up books featuring Green Lantern Kyle Rayner (Ion? :P) and I'd never heard of him two years ago. It's also likely that I'll pick up any future appearances of Ryan Choi (seeing that I have no faith that he'll stick around in an Atom title).
I do follow titles. This means that I buy Fantastic Four because I started buying it when I was just a kid. Thirty years ago.) :) It's partly a matter of habit; if I've "always" purchased a book, I'm likely to keep getting it. Thus my tendency to buy just about anything with the word "Avengers" in the title--it was my favorite book as a teenager and that's a lot of nostalgia. I will occasionally stop buying a book--I dropped the current run of Legion of Superheroes some time ago--but it takes either a long-term drop in quality, a significant change in the book that isn't to my taste, or possibly a bad association of some sort (which was the reason I never picked up the X-books again, despite having read and enjoyed them for years and years). That doesn't mean I can't be convinced to buy more books, but I'm more likely to do so if the newly-offered titles are connected somehow to the titles I already buy. For example, Green Lantern Corps--got it because I enjoy the Green Lantern section of DC's universe, and it turned out to be a favorite (I'm far more likely to drop the main GL title at this point).
I don't, as a rule, buy alternate-universe or potential-future tales. If it doesn't take place in the regular 616 Marvel universe (or whatever turns out to be the primary DC universe after Countdown's done), I probably don't want it. (I did buy The Ultimates, but I've never read any of the other Ultimate-universe titles. The twelve-year-old likes Ultimate X-Men but not enough to buy, she picks up the trades at her school library.) I can't really explain this one but it's a pretty consistent preference.
So to some extent I'm a bit set in my ways, don't necessarily like a lot of change, and really prefer it if comic deaths are exceptional. I don't mind things being shaken up once in a while, but if the change is too great I won't be happy. (Because I read comics based primarily on the characters, and if the characters aren't there that takes away quite a bit of my incentive to keep reading. Captain America is an exception, but the writer made a point of establishing a good supporting cast capable of maintaining the book before eliminating the title character.) I like what I like, and while I don't dislike the rest, I don't seek it out either.
But! I do, sometimes, buy something entirely new on the recommendation of others. It's the internet's fault that I buy any DC books at all, and that all started with some folks' enthusiastic discussion of Green Lantern. Official company sites don't convince me of these things--other comic readers do. If I hear a lot of positive about something new, especially from people whose taste includes books I already like, or whose commentary is intelligent and well-reasoned (i.e. not "Brian Bendis is God, you should totally read this book by Brian Bendis"--actually that's not a great example, I tend to quite like Bendis' writing and generally consider him a plus on a book I read--but you see what I mean) I might try it out.
But on the whole, I'm pretty easy to please. On the whole I'm happy with my comics.** And although there's a limit on what I'm willing to spend, I'm open to trying new things.
Ah, but the kids!
The twelve-year-old would happily buy a foot-high stack of comics every month. (Hell, so would I. Not an option.) She'll try just about any comic featuring female characters, and any comic featuring kids. She likes Teen Titans (which we get in trade, she doesn't mind the wait), loves Birds of Prey. She seems to be tiring of New X-Men and we may be replacing it with Runaways. Right now her favorite is Avengers: Initiative, which features younger characters as well.
The eight-year-old? Scooby Doo is still the favorite, but she also likes her Marvel Adventures Avengers and she probably actually looks at more of the monthly stack than her sister--she asks about Captain America if there isn't one, which impresses me every time she does it because it's really not a kid-focused book. (The twelve-year-old won't touch it, she doesn't like that it's visually a darker book with no bright colors.)
They both like humor, so if a character or book tends to be funny, that's a plus. Deadpool, for example, is a favorite of both girls. (This is partially due to Marvel Ultimate Alliance, where Deadpool is great fun to play.) The twelve-year-old, asked her favorite characters, mentioned She-Hulk and Hawkeye (Clint Barton), both of whom tend to quip a great deal.
They don't seem to care a lot about continuity; although both like picking out errors when they see them, it's not something they mind.
They do care about clear writing. Continuing storylines are fine, but they like to be able to tell what's going on. Even if they were allowed to read Moon Knight, they wouldn't like it because it can be a little confusing.
They prefer Frank Cho to Leinil Yu (although the eight-year-old says that Cho draws people's butts too big) despite liking the New Avengers more as characters. They prefer clean-lined art, bright, distinct colors, easily-identifiable characters. The twelve-year-old (who just came into the room) says that she wouldn't expect to like Cable and Deadpool based on the cover art, but that the inside is different (and good) so you have to look at both. She really does make some comic choices based on cover art. The eight-year-old likes Steve Epting's realistic style, the twelve-year-old does not. They're both fine with "cartoony" art as long as you can tell what you're looking at, although the twelve-year-old doesn't care for the art in DC's kid titles (the ones based on their cartoons).
The kids would be, I think, far better customers than I am. Too bad I'm the one with the money. :)
* I do understand that the comic book format can be used, and used well, to tell stories other than superhero tales. And I like non-superhero stories--I just tend to seek them out in other media.
** Which means I'm also not bothered so much by some of the things that bother other folks. Not by cover images--never felt inclined to not buy a book I otherwise enjoy because of a bad cover. Not by costumes--honestly, I probably wouldn't notice the running in 5-inch heels if no one on the net pointed it out to me. (Doesn't mean I don't find it peculiar when I do notice it. But I internalized those particular aspects of comic book fantasy long ago, and my disbelief is pretty much self-suspending.) As a rule, I don't read comics with a highly critical eye, any more than I analyze the flavor of my triple-chocolate ice cream when I eat it. I'll admit it--when it comes to comics, the initial pleasure does not come from taking things apart. I might give a book a more analytic read later, but when I've got it in my hands for the first time? I read it for fun, and I'm not all that picky.
This isn't to say that those folks who do take notice of these things are wrong. And it's not to say that I don't find their writings revelatory, or that they don't make me think about my own expectations (too low? too dated?) and judgment. I do, and they do. Just that they aren't the things I automatically focus on.
Even without that, I suppose it goes without saying that the girls and I are not the primary market for comic publishers. They're actual kids, and I'm a 45-year-old woman. Of course I'm also a comic fan of 30-something years standing, something that I'm guessing isn't as unusual as it used to be. That's a lot of my cash that's gone to them over the years, and I don't regret a penny of it. (Well, maybe all that X-Factor back in the '90s...) On the whole I'm not a great customer in terms of spending big bucks, but I'm a steady customer.
I do know enough about marketing to know that, a lot of the time, companies are thinking less about maintaining their current customer base than about adding to it, whether by adding new customers or by convincing existing customers to buy more of their product. Keeping me buying comics does not seem to be a problem. Getting me to buy additional comics might be, but it doesn't have to be.
Luckily, I do have fairly mainstream taste in comics, so in theory it shouldn't be too hard to appeal to me as a reader.
I like superhero books.* Marvel and DC. I rarely, rarely go beyond that limited area, and I really only get into certain titles within each publisher's catalog. That's a limitation.
I'm more likely to add to my list than to take something off, but I do tend to buy about the same number of comics every month and if I am going to remove a title there's definitely a last in, first out thing going on there. That's another limitation.
While I tend to buy the same things (limited comic budget and all that--something new that I'm not sure I'll like might mean cutting something old that I do know I like), I do occasionally add something new to my list. How does this happen?
I don't follow writers or artists. Brubaker's Captain America is my favorite title by far, but my enjoyment of it has not inspired me to pick up Daredevil, or Criminal, or any of his other undoubtedly-excellent works. There are writers and artists I particularly like--ones I'm pleased to see join the creative staff of a book I read, or disappointed to see go--but I don't seem to pick up new books based solely on the creators. (Although I'll probably be adding Wonder Woman back to the list when Gail Simone takes over, and I'm considering adding Supergirl back at some point when it's more actual-girl-friendly, but both of these are titles of interest to the twelve-year-old more than to me.) And I'm definitely not drawn by big-name creators--as far as I can tell it's pretty hit-or-miss whether someone who's good at writing novels or television scripts will also be good at writing comics.
I usually don't follow crossover storylines. (Not anymore. Got burnt out on that, oh, fifteen years back after one of the massive X-title crossovers. In fact, when I restarted my comic hobby, I didn't add any X-books to my list. I've got a long memory for some things.) I remember reading a post a little while back in someone's blog--sorry I don't recall which one--where the writer expressed surprise that someone might not make a point of buying both the Justice League and Justice Society issues of the recent crossover. Well, I'm not. (Both not surprised and not buying both sides. I dropped Justice League a few months ago and haven't re-added it so far.) Partly it's the comics-by-mail thing, I order ahead of time, no local comic shop and so forth, and don't necessarily read the solicitations in great detail. But mainly I like the Justice Society and I don't care for the Justice League at this point. (Granted that if I'd known that The Real Legion of Superheroes would be guesting, I'd probably have ordered the League books as well...but I didn't, so I didn't.) So if there's a major event including crossovers, I just buy what I usually buy without regard for other books included in the storyline. (If it turns out to be a good story, I can always fill in the gaps later if I like. I generally don't.) World War Hulk? Only where it appears in my regular reads. Because I'm not a Hulk reader. Now, I will sometimes buy event-specific titles if I'm interested in the goings-on, but I won't buy additional side titles just because there happens to be crossover content. (For example, I bought a number of the Civil War books, but didn't buy any Spider-Man because I just don't buy Spider-Man.) Civil War interested me. World War Hulk doesn't, perhaps because of its focus on a character I've never had much fondness for.
Yeah, I sometimes follow events. But I've addressed that elsewhere.
I do follow characters. That just means that I like Ms. Marvel, so I buy Ms. Marvel. (Just as an example. Not sure that "like" is the right word there at the moment.). I don't go out of my way to buy guest appearances, as a rule. Ms. Marvel guests in Heroes for Hire? Not buying Heroes for Hire. (I will occasionally make an exception for characters who aren't appearing regularly in their own books, such as the aforementioned old Legion of Superheroes. And I'll often give a book a look if, say, the Black Knight or other rarely-seen old favorite is in it, but it's not an automatic buy.) It's not strictly a nostalgia thing, although certainly characters I grew up with are most likely to be followed--but I also tend to pick up books featuring Green Lantern Kyle Rayner (Ion? :P) and I'd never heard of him two years ago. It's also likely that I'll pick up any future appearances of Ryan Choi (seeing that I have no faith that he'll stick around in an Atom title).
I do follow titles. This means that I buy Fantastic Four because I started buying it when I was just a kid. Thirty years ago.) :) It's partly a matter of habit; if I've "always" purchased a book, I'm likely to keep getting it. Thus my tendency to buy just about anything with the word "Avengers" in the title--it was my favorite book as a teenager and that's a lot of nostalgia. I will occasionally stop buying a book--I dropped the current run of Legion of Superheroes some time ago--but it takes either a long-term drop in quality, a significant change in the book that isn't to my taste, or possibly a bad association of some sort (which was the reason I never picked up the X-books again, despite having read and enjoyed them for years and years). That doesn't mean I can't be convinced to buy more books, but I'm more likely to do so if the newly-offered titles are connected somehow to the titles I already buy. For example, Green Lantern Corps--got it because I enjoy the Green Lantern section of DC's universe, and it turned out to be a favorite (I'm far more likely to drop the main GL title at this point).
I don't, as a rule, buy alternate-universe or potential-future tales. If it doesn't take place in the regular 616 Marvel universe (or whatever turns out to be the primary DC universe after Countdown's done), I probably don't want it. (I did buy The Ultimates, but I've never read any of the other Ultimate-universe titles. The twelve-year-old likes Ultimate X-Men but not enough to buy, she picks up the trades at her school library.) I can't really explain this one but it's a pretty consistent preference.
So to some extent I'm a bit set in my ways, don't necessarily like a lot of change, and really prefer it if comic deaths are exceptional. I don't mind things being shaken up once in a while, but if the change is too great I won't be happy. (Because I read comics based primarily on the characters, and if the characters aren't there that takes away quite a bit of my incentive to keep reading. Captain America is an exception, but the writer made a point of establishing a good supporting cast capable of maintaining the book before eliminating the title character.) I like what I like, and while I don't dislike the rest, I don't seek it out either.
But! I do, sometimes, buy something entirely new on the recommendation of others. It's the internet's fault that I buy any DC books at all, and that all started with some folks' enthusiastic discussion of Green Lantern. Official company sites don't convince me of these things--other comic readers do. If I hear a lot of positive about something new, especially from people whose taste includes books I already like, or whose commentary is intelligent and well-reasoned (i.e. not "Brian Bendis is God, you should totally read this book by Brian Bendis"--actually that's not a great example, I tend to quite like Bendis' writing and generally consider him a plus on a book I read--but you see what I mean) I might try it out.
But on the whole, I'm pretty easy to please. On the whole I'm happy with my comics.** And although there's a limit on what I'm willing to spend, I'm open to trying new things.
Ah, but the kids!
The twelve-year-old would happily buy a foot-high stack of comics every month. (Hell, so would I. Not an option.) She'll try just about any comic featuring female characters, and any comic featuring kids. She likes Teen Titans (which we get in trade, she doesn't mind the wait), loves Birds of Prey. She seems to be tiring of New X-Men and we may be replacing it with Runaways. Right now her favorite is Avengers: Initiative, which features younger characters as well.
The eight-year-old? Scooby Doo is still the favorite, but she also likes her Marvel Adventures Avengers and she probably actually looks at more of the monthly stack than her sister--she asks about Captain America if there isn't one, which impresses me every time she does it because it's really not a kid-focused book. (The twelve-year-old won't touch it, she doesn't like that it's visually a darker book with no bright colors.)
They both like humor, so if a character or book tends to be funny, that's a plus. Deadpool, for example, is a favorite of both girls. (This is partially due to Marvel Ultimate Alliance, where Deadpool is great fun to play.) The twelve-year-old, asked her favorite characters, mentioned She-Hulk and Hawkeye (Clint Barton), both of whom tend to quip a great deal.
They don't seem to care a lot about continuity; although both like picking out errors when they see them, it's not something they mind.
They do care about clear writing. Continuing storylines are fine, but they like to be able to tell what's going on. Even if they were allowed to read Moon Knight, they wouldn't like it because it can be a little confusing.
They prefer Frank Cho to Leinil Yu (although the eight-year-old says that Cho draws people's butts too big) despite liking the New Avengers more as characters. They prefer clean-lined art, bright, distinct colors, easily-identifiable characters. The twelve-year-old (who just came into the room) says that she wouldn't expect to like Cable and Deadpool based on the cover art, but that the inside is different (and good) so you have to look at both. She really does make some comic choices based on cover art. The eight-year-old likes Steve Epting's realistic style, the twelve-year-old does not. They're both fine with "cartoony" art as long as you can tell what you're looking at, although the twelve-year-old doesn't care for the art in DC's kid titles (the ones based on their cartoons).
The kids would be, I think, far better customers than I am. Too bad I'm the one with the money. :)
* I do understand that the comic book format can be used, and used well, to tell stories other than superhero tales. And I like non-superhero stories--I just tend to seek them out in other media.
** Which means I'm also not bothered so much by some of the things that bother other folks. Not by cover images--never felt inclined to not buy a book I otherwise enjoy because of a bad cover. Not by costumes--honestly, I probably wouldn't notice the running in 5-inch heels if no one on the net pointed it out to me. (Doesn't mean I don't find it peculiar when I do notice it. But I internalized those particular aspects of comic book fantasy long ago, and my disbelief is pretty much self-suspending.) As a rule, I don't read comics with a highly critical eye, any more than I analyze the flavor of my triple-chocolate ice cream when I eat it. I'll admit it--when it comes to comics, the initial pleasure does not come from taking things apart. I might give a book a more analytic read later, but when I've got it in my hands for the first time? I read it for fun, and I'm not all that picky.
This isn't to say that those folks who do take notice of these things are wrong. And it's not to say that I don't find their writings revelatory, or that they don't make me think about my own expectations (too low? too dated?) and judgment. I do, and they do. Just that they aren't the things I automatically focus on.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
More Black Widow on the way!
I just saw the October Marvel solicitations at Newsarama, and here's what it says about Captain America 31:
I'm looking forward to seeing the Black Widow in this book again. I don't think I'd want her as a regular, and particularly wouldn't want to see her as a love interest of any sort, but I think she does make an interesting opponent for the Winter Soldier. She probably knows him a lot better than he knows her, given the vast amount of life experience she has had since they knew each other, and I think inevitably he is going to underestimate or misjudge her because of this.
I always did like the Black Widow, back when I was a kid. I totally missed out on her Daredevil period (don't think I've ever purchased a Daredevil book) but I liked it that even in the Silver Age she was almost always portrayed as competent. I'm not as big a fan these days, but I'm still pleased to see her done well.
THE WINTER SOLDIER HELD PRISONER BY THE RED SKULL! While Sharon and the Falcon race to his rescue, about to cross paths with the Mighty Avenger that Tony Stark has sent hunting our rogue hero – THE BLACK WIDOW!
Will the Red Skull kill both Cap and Bucky? It's anyone's guess, as the second arc of the epic "DEATH OF CAPTAIN AMERICA" storyline opens with a bang!
I'm looking forward to seeing the Black Widow in this book again. I don't think I'd want her as a regular, and particularly wouldn't want to see her as a love interest of any sort, but I think she does make an interesting opponent for the Winter Soldier. She probably knows him a lot better than he knows her, given the vast amount of life experience she has had since they knew each other, and I think inevitably he is going to underestimate or misjudge her because of this.
I always did like the Black Widow, back when I was a kid. I totally missed out on her Daredevil period (don't think I've ever purchased a Daredevil book) but I liked it that even in the Silver Age she was almost always portrayed as competent. I'm not as big a fan these days, but I'm still pleased to see her done well.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Justice League Heroes
It has dropped in price, and we've got it. The girls and I have been trying it out today.
My main complaint so far is that it seems to take quite a while before you're able to create your own team of heroes. That's going to cut into the re-playability, I expect. Of course I'm only on my first play-through, on Easy because the girls are playing with me in turns, and I have no idea whether this stays the same in subsequent plays.
But the girls both like it. The Easy level seems to be easier than the Easy level for Marvel Ultimate Alliance--the eight-year-old will have no trouble playing it on her own, which is really nice.
Teams of two rather than four mean that there won't be any games played with all the family, which was fun once in a while with MUA (just not too often), but will probably make it easier for the girls to play together. I did notice that it's a lot easier to strategize with the twelve-year-old when we're each playing one specific character.
You start out with the John Stewart Green Lantern, who is both girls' favorite by far, so that's a plus. You can unlock Hal Jordan and Kyle Rayner (but not, sadly, Guy Gardner :() and (presumably) have several different all-GL teams. I don't know yet just how much of the game you can play with the unlockable characters--at least one of the sections I've already played required a specific character (the Flash) to get through it, so I'm pretty sure that there will be limitations in this respect, which is kind of annoying.
I'm pretty sure that the twelve-year-old is looking forward to playing a Huntress-Hawkgirl team-up :).
So, all right. The game is all right. I'm glad I didn't run out and buy it at full price when it first came out, because it's not worth that much (Marvel Ultimate Alliance was, by the way), but it's good for some fun and we're enjoying it.
My main complaint so far is that it seems to take quite a while before you're able to create your own team of heroes. That's going to cut into the re-playability, I expect. Of course I'm only on my first play-through, on Easy because the girls are playing with me in turns, and I have no idea whether this stays the same in subsequent plays.
But the girls both like it. The Easy level seems to be easier than the Easy level for Marvel Ultimate Alliance--the eight-year-old will have no trouble playing it on her own, which is really nice.
Teams of two rather than four mean that there won't be any games played with all the family, which was fun once in a while with MUA (just not too often), but will probably make it easier for the girls to play together. I did notice that it's a lot easier to strategize with the twelve-year-old when we're each playing one specific character.
You start out with the John Stewart Green Lantern, who is both girls' favorite by far, so that's a plus. You can unlock Hal Jordan and Kyle Rayner (but not, sadly, Guy Gardner :() and (presumably) have several different all-GL teams. I don't know yet just how much of the game you can play with the unlockable characters--at least one of the sections I've already played required a specific character (the Flash) to get through it, so I'm pretty sure that there will be limitations in this respect, which is kind of annoying.
I'm pretty sure that the twelve-year-old is looking forward to playing a Huntress-Hawkgirl team-up :).
So, all right. The game is all right. I'm glad I didn't run out and buy it at full price when it first came out, because it's not worth that much (Marvel Ultimate Alliance was, by the way), but it's good for some fun and we're enjoying it.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Power isn't everything [Some spoilers]
Why is it that so many comic fans insist that their favorite must be the most powerful? Why is that important?
What brought this to mind was recently seeing some Green Lantern fans (Kyle division), concerned about the possibility (now that Ion is no longer a part of him) of him ending up as a regular old Green Lantern, no longer possessing the power of Ion, no longer being the "next step" in Green Lanterns. (Keep in mind, please, that any Green Lantern already holds one of the most powerful weapons in the universe. No Green Lantern is a lightweight.) These folks were thrilled when he became Ion (either the first time or more recently), not because of the potential for character development or good stories (which is there, much as I tend to complain about it) but because it meant that he could now beat up anybody else on the block.
It's always been like that, of course. I remember, as a kid, reading the letters pages of comics, where rabid Hulk fans insisted that their boy would always beat the Thing, and vice versa. (IIRC the Hulk fans felt it was an issue of pure power while Ben Grimm's side figured that his relatively-superior brain power would win the day.) You still see it, more often online these days. And, you know, a little of the "Who'd win in a fight, Batman or Captain America?" can be fun. A little of it.
I know I'm not unique in that the power level of a hero has little bearing on whether s/he is a favorite. I don't much care if they're the toughest. (Never much cared whether my dad could beat up the other kids' dads either. :)) Clever, I find interesting. Resourceful I love. Sheer, raw power? Fine if well done, but so often it seems to lead to sloppy storytelling.
To each their own, of course. Superhero comics are fantasy lit, and I'm not about to say that someone else's power fantasies are any less valid than my own admiration for the thoughtful hero. What I don't understand is basing one's fondness for a character so much on his or her unbeatability. If everything is easy for a hero--well, maybe it'd be more pleasant to be that hero, but it's sure less interesting to read about them. I admit that I like the sort of hero who's smart and quick-thinking--but if they're always the one to pull everyone's fat out of the fire, if they never fail to plan for a potential outcome, they're no longer as interesting.
So, so what if Kyle Rayner ends up with a power level more equivalent to that of the rest of the Corps? If he's no longer the toughest guy on the block? Isn't it more interesting to see the way he uses his power--his creativity, remember, has always been his strength and one of the things that makes him unique, and able to extricate himself from situations in ways that other Lanterns wouldn't think of--than to see him simply outpower an endless line of foes?
(The above is entirely and exclusively the opinion of one old and occasionally-crotchety comic fan. :))
What brought this to mind was recently seeing some Green Lantern fans (Kyle division), concerned about the possibility (now that Ion is no longer a part of him) of him ending up as a regular old Green Lantern, no longer possessing the power of Ion, no longer being the "next step" in Green Lanterns. (Keep in mind, please, that any Green Lantern already holds one of the most powerful weapons in the universe. No Green Lantern is a lightweight.) These folks were thrilled when he became Ion (either the first time or more recently), not because of the potential for character development or good stories (which is there, much as I tend to complain about it) but because it meant that he could now beat up anybody else on the block.
It's always been like that, of course. I remember, as a kid, reading the letters pages of comics, where rabid Hulk fans insisted that their boy would always beat the Thing, and vice versa. (IIRC the Hulk fans felt it was an issue of pure power while Ben Grimm's side figured that his relatively-superior brain power would win the day.) You still see it, more often online these days. And, you know, a little of the "Who'd win in a fight, Batman or Captain America?" can be fun. A little of it.
I know I'm not unique in that the power level of a hero has little bearing on whether s/he is a favorite. I don't much care if they're the toughest. (Never much cared whether my dad could beat up the other kids' dads either. :)) Clever, I find interesting. Resourceful I love. Sheer, raw power? Fine if well done, but so often it seems to lead to sloppy storytelling.
To each their own, of course. Superhero comics are fantasy lit, and I'm not about to say that someone else's power fantasies are any less valid than my own admiration for the thoughtful hero. What I don't understand is basing one's fondness for a character so much on his or her unbeatability. If everything is easy for a hero--well, maybe it'd be more pleasant to be that hero, but it's sure less interesting to read about them. I admit that I like the sort of hero who's smart and quick-thinking--but if they're always the one to pull everyone's fat out of the fire, if they never fail to plan for a potential outcome, they're no longer as interesting.
So, so what if Kyle Rayner ends up with a power level more equivalent to that of the rest of the Corps? If he's no longer the toughest guy on the block? Isn't it more interesting to see the way he uses his power--his creativity, remember, has always been his strength and one of the things that makes him unique, and able to extricate himself from situations in ways that other Lanterns wouldn't think of--than to see him simply outpower an endless line of foes?
(The above is entirely and exclusively the opinion of one old and occasionally-crotchety comic fan. :))
The June '07 Comics [Spoilers]
All New Atom 12, Cable and Deadpool 41-42, Captain America 27, Fantastic Four #547, Green Lantern: Sinestro Corps Special, Iron Man 18-19, Irredeemable Ant-Man 9, Moon Knight 11, Ms. Marvel 16, New Avengers 31, New Excalibur 20, The Spirit 7
All New Atom #12
With this issue we're somewhat back to normal, if "normal" can really refer to what happens in Ivytown. Good read. I like this Atom. I hope he sticks around somewhere after the return of Ray Palmer.
Cable and Deadpool #41-42
A pretty good balance of Cable and Deadpool, with the Cable bits less annoying than he sometimes tends to be. I'm not yet to the point of caring what happens next to Cable, but I am curious, which is something.
Captain America #27
You know me--I almost never have a bad thing to say about this book. But I did find the Winter Soldier/Black Widow thing to be a little neat--I mean, everyone doesn't have to know everyone--however, it was nicely done, and not as over-the-top as these revelations can sometimes be so I won't say much more than that about it.
I also think that Natasha--having had how many more decades of active fighting experience than Bucky?--ought to have been able to beat him, but that's a minor quibble, as the match was close and it is, at this point, pretty much his book (along with Sharon and Falcon, of course). Now if he shows up in Mighty Avengers and takes her down, then I'll complain.
Oh, and I like Sharon's new outfit! Very Emma Peel!
Fantastic Four #547
Decent read. The "this is my real hair!" exchange between Ben and Ororo was kind of funny, but seemed a bit out of character for Storm. Then again, I haven't read any title featuring her in 10 or 15 years, so perhaps at this point it isn't. I did, however, enjoy the exchange between Reed and Hank Pym--that alone was worth the cover price.
Green Lantern: Sinestro Corps Special
I enjoyed this very much overall. Seeing the GL Corps, the down time on Oa, the resentment some Corps members still feel towards Hal Jordan, the total cool of John Stewart.
Of course the part of the book that grabbed my attention the most was at the end--the part focusing on Kyle. The notion of Ion as an entity separate from Kyle? I like it. This is because, while I like Kyle, I don't like Kyle as Ion, and I'd be thrilled to see him back at normal GL power level. It's not the degree of power that makes a Lantern special, it's the way in which they use that power. Here's hoping for a short run as Parallax and a long one back as a regular Lantern.
Iron Man #18-19
Aw, man, they killed Sal! He and Dugan have been the best reasons to read this book lately, so that's pretty disappointing. As was Dugan's commentary on Fury vs. Stark, calling Fury "ruthless" and "pragmatic," seeing things as they are while Tony sees them as they could be. Personally I'd say that lately Tony has been pretty ruthless and pragmatic himself, so I'm not seeing the point in its entirety.
And then, my first look at the World War Hulk thing. It does not make me want to run out and get the rest of it.
Irredeemable Ant-Man #9
Hah! Just when you think that Eric is starting to become a little bit less of an asshole, just when you start to find him sympathetic, even--bam!
I'm actually quite saddened that this book will be cancelled after issue 12. it's not at all the kind of comic I usually love, but love it I do.
Moon Knight #11
The highlights in this issue, for me, were the scenes between Marc and Marlene. It does seem odd to be rooting for the hero not to get the girl. But I'm thinking...
What seems to be going on: The Profile tells Marc how to get Marlene to love him again--"just tell her how you feel." Marc then gives it a shot and fails utterly--as Marlene says, "Funny, I thought you told me what you want from me. Strange how I missesd the part where you told me how you feel." (Marc doesn't understand--he can't separate the two.) Later we see Marlene leaving her work with her boyfriend, and Marc accosts the two, insulting Marlene by saying she's using her young companion to recapture her fading youth. Looks like he tried to follow The Profile's advice but just wasn't capable of doing so, and reacted with anger when it didn't work.
But what I'm wondering is this: It seems to me that "just tell her what you feel" is pretty superficial, straightforward advice from The Profile, who seems to specialize in more Machiavellian techniques. What if we didn't see the entire exchange between him and Marc? What if the insult to Marlene was the real advice given to Marc? Marc just wants her back, he doesn't care how it's done, and "tell her what you feel" isn't likely to draw her back into an emotionally manipulative (abusive?) relationship. But to cut at her self-esteem, that might make some impact.
I hope Marlene is stronger than that.
Ms. Marvel #16
Okay. First, the fact that Carol had to kiss Simon in order to halt his murderous rampage--a tactic straight out of bad fan fiction, by the way--probably says more about where her mind has been lately than anything else. I mean, would she have used the same technique on M.O.D.O.K.?
And before anyone says it, I can go out on the back porch, dig through the longboxes containing the orginal run of Ms. Marvel, and pull out an actual comic with a picture of Carol kissing M.O.D.O.K. That image was burned into my brain when I was a teenager, I don't need to refresh that memory :).
New Avengers #31
Now that I've seen the famous scene in which Wong asks Jess why she isn't breastfeeding, I'd say that it looks like he is in fact only asking because the not-breastfeeding is a new thing. That makes more sense given Wong's sense of propriety. No opinion yet on whether it's Jess or the baby who's the problem.
I liked the interaction between Spiderman and Ronin/Hawkeye. Speaking of whom...
Ronin/Hawkeye may have a problem working with this group. He has a long history of being opposed to killing--remember when his wife, Mockingbird, simply failed to save the life of the villain who had mind-controlled and seduced her? I'm not sure if Clint ever did forgive her before her death. He may have mellowed since then, but is he likely to work well with a group including Spider-Woman and Wolverine, both of whom consider killing a valid if extreme option?
New Excalibur #20
Off the get list. Just not holding my interest, primarily because I can't seem to care about the characters.
The Spirit #7
This issue features three separate stories not by the regular writer/artist. They weren't bad. The second tale was IMO the best--an incredible job of capturing the feel of some of the original Eisner strips. Eisner had a way of using supporting characters, bystanders, to create mood and to drive the plot. It's not the sort of character-focused story we're used to in our hero books, but it works, and it has a real charm. I could definitely read more like this.
All New Atom #12
With this issue we're somewhat back to normal, if "normal" can really refer to what happens in Ivytown. Good read. I like this Atom. I hope he sticks around somewhere after the return of Ray Palmer.
Cable and Deadpool #41-42
A pretty good balance of Cable and Deadpool, with the Cable bits less annoying than he sometimes tends to be. I'm not yet to the point of caring what happens next to Cable, but I am curious, which is something.
Captain America #27
You know me--I almost never have a bad thing to say about this book. But I did find the Winter Soldier/Black Widow thing to be a little neat--I mean, everyone doesn't have to know everyone--however, it was nicely done, and not as over-the-top as these revelations can sometimes be so I won't say much more than that about it.
I also think that Natasha--having had how many more decades of active fighting experience than Bucky?--ought to have been able to beat him, but that's a minor quibble, as the match was close and it is, at this point, pretty much his book (along with Sharon and Falcon, of course). Now if he shows up in Mighty Avengers and takes her down, then I'll complain.
Oh, and I like Sharon's new outfit! Very Emma Peel!
Fantastic Four #547
Decent read. The "this is my real hair!" exchange between Ben and Ororo was kind of funny, but seemed a bit out of character for Storm. Then again, I haven't read any title featuring her in 10 or 15 years, so perhaps at this point it isn't. I did, however, enjoy the exchange between Reed and Hank Pym--that alone was worth the cover price.
Green Lantern: Sinestro Corps Special
I enjoyed this very much overall. Seeing the GL Corps, the down time on Oa, the resentment some Corps members still feel towards Hal Jordan, the total cool of John Stewart.
Of course the part of the book that grabbed my attention the most was at the end--the part focusing on Kyle. The notion of Ion as an entity separate from Kyle? I like it. This is because, while I like Kyle, I don't like Kyle as Ion, and I'd be thrilled to see him back at normal GL power level. It's not the degree of power that makes a Lantern special, it's the way in which they use that power. Here's hoping for a short run as Parallax and a long one back as a regular Lantern.
Iron Man #18-19
Aw, man, they killed Sal! He and Dugan have been the best reasons to read this book lately, so that's pretty disappointing. As was Dugan's commentary on Fury vs. Stark, calling Fury "ruthless" and "pragmatic," seeing things as they are while Tony sees them as they could be. Personally I'd say that lately Tony has been pretty ruthless and pragmatic himself, so I'm not seeing the point in its entirety.
And then, my first look at the World War Hulk thing. It does not make me want to run out and get the rest of it.
Irredeemable Ant-Man #9
Hah! Just when you think that Eric is starting to become a little bit less of an asshole, just when you start to find him sympathetic, even--bam!
I'm actually quite saddened that this book will be cancelled after issue 12. it's not at all the kind of comic I usually love, but love it I do.
Moon Knight #11
The highlights in this issue, for me, were the scenes between Marc and Marlene. It does seem odd to be rooting for the hero not to get the girl. But I'm thinking...
What seems to be going on: The Profile tells Marc how to get Marlene to love him again--"just tell her how you feel." Marc then gives it a shot and fails utterly--as Marlene says, "Funny, I thought you told me what you want from me. Strange how I missesd the part where you told me how you feel." (Marc doesn't understand--he can't separate the two.) Later we see Marlene leaving her work with her boyfriend, and Marc accosts the two, insulting Marlene by saying she's using her young companion to recapture her fading youth. Looks like he tried to follow The Profile's advice but just wasn't capable of doing so, and reacted with anger when it didn't work.
But what I'm wondering is this: It seems to me that "just tell her what you feel" is pretty superficial, straightforward advice from The Profile, who seems to specialize in more Machiavellian techniques. What if we didn't see the entire exchange between him and Marc? What if the insult to Marlene was the real advice given to Marc? Marc just wants her back, he doesn't care how it's done, and "tell her what you feel" isn't likely to draw her back into an emotionally manipulative (abusive?) relationship. But to cut at her self-esteem, that might make some impact.
I hope Marlene is stronger than that.
Ms. Marvel #16
Okay. First, the fact that Carol had to kiss Simon in order to halt his murderous rampage--a tactic straight out of bad fan fiction, by the way--probably says more about where her mind has been lately than anything else. I mean, would she have used the same technique on M.O.D.O.K.?
And before anyone says it, I can go out on the back porch, dig through the longboxes containing the orginal run of Ms. Marvel, and pull out an actual comic with a picture of Carol kissing M.O.D.O.K. That image was burned into my brain when I was a teenager, I don't need to refresh that memory :).
New Avengers #31
Now that I've seen the famous scene in which Wong asks Jess why she isn't breastfeeding, I'd say that it looks like he is in fact only asking because the not-breastfeeding is a new thing. That makes more sense given Wong's sense of propriety. No opinion yet on whether it's Jess or the baby who's the problem.
I liked the interaction between Spiderman and Ronin/Hawkeye. Speaking of whom...
Ronin/Hawkeye may have a problem working with this group. He has a long history of being opposed to killing--remember when his wife, Mockingbird, simply failed to save the life of the villain who had mind-controlled and seduced her? I'm not sure if Clint ever did forgive her before her death. He may have mellowed since then, but is he likely to work well with a group including Spider-Woman and Wolverine, both of whom consider killing a valid if extreme option?
New Excalibur #20
Off the get list. Just not holding my interest, primarily because I can't seem to care about the characters.
The Spirit #7
This issue features three separate stories not by the regular writer/artist. They weren't bad. The second tale was IMO the best--an incredible job of capturing the feel of some of the original Eisner strips. Eisner had a way of using supporting characters, bystanders, to create mood and to drive the plot. It's not the sort of character-focused story we're used to in our hero books, but it works, and it has a real charm. I could definitely read more like this.
Friday, July 06, 2007
I really need new glasses.
So the Big Box O' Comics arrived, and you know what's in it? Go on, guess. Hint: remember all that complaining I did about not having ordered Sinestro Corps and then having been unable to find it in a store?
Yep. It was in there.
I even checked my order. Only I looked at the bottom of the page, with the S's (as in Sinestro Corps?), and it wasn't there. If I'd scrolled back up and looked at the G's (as in Green Lantern: Sinestro Corps), I'd have seen it.
I am an idiot.
Yep. It was in there.
I even checked my order. Only I looked at the bottom of the page, with the S's (as in Sinestro Corps?), and it wasn't there. If I'd scrolled back up and looked at the G's (as in Green Lantern: Sinestro Corps), I'd have seen it.
I am an idiot.
Thursday, July 05, 2007
8 Facts Meme
Omigosh, I've been tagged for a meme! I think that's a first (and I almost missed it, I'm so far behind on my blog-reading...).
So anyway.
- Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
- People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.
- At the end of the post, I'm supposed to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
1. I prefer milk chocolate to dark chocolate. (You have no idea how many people are horrified at this.)
2. I can't stand being told to do a thing when I was already going to do it anyway. I balk. I do it, but I get cranky. It's entirely irrational but I can't seem to get over it. Call it the last gasp of childhood. :)
3. I have to watch Lady for a Day and Ball of Fire every single time that they're on television. Not sure why. Well, Ball of Fire has Barbara Stanwyck, but Lady for a Day is Capra and I generally don't care for Capra. If only they'd put them on DVD, I could stop doing this.
I have a similar must-watch reaction to The Frozen Dead, but given the plot description ("A crazed scientist keeps the heads of Nazi war criminals alive until he can find appropriate bodies on which to attach them so he can revive the Third Reich.") I think you'll agree that that's perfectly understandable.
4. I don't like jewelry. I wore my wedding ring somewhat nervously until the now-twelve-year-old was born and it no longer fit, and never got around to having it resized. I figure I know I'm married, that's all that's important.
5. I never wear a watch.
6. I go to great lengths to avoid watching movies based on comic books. I eventually see them because The Husband rents them, but I put it off as long as possible. Some of them are good movies, but none of them really recreate the comic experience. Regardless, I don't generally find the announcement of a new one to be at all exciting.
7. My main non-comic-related hobby is quilting--I've been doing it for about 17 years (I started just before we got married, after I decided I wanted "a" quilt for our bed :)), I have quite a few, and no one in the house uses blankets. (I also like to knit, but can only make rectangles, and I don't find it to be as obsessive a thing.)
8. When I was 10 or 12, I went to climb the treehouse my brother and I had built the summer before and stepped on a hornet's nest. The hornets were not pleased.
You know, I'm supposed to tag people but I'm so far behind that I have no idea who's done it or not. How about this--if you haven't and you want to, go for it. If not, don't.
So anyway.
- Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
- People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.
- At the end of the post, I'm supposed to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
1. I prefer milk chocolate to dark chocolate. (You have no idea how many people are horrified at this.)
2. I can't stand being told to do a thing when I was already going to do it anyway. I balk. I do it, but I get cranky. It's entirely irrational but I can't seem to get over it. Call it the last gasp of childhood. :)
3. I have to watch Lady for a Day and Ball of Fire every single time that they're on television. Not sure why. Well, Ball of Fire has Barbara Stanwyck, but Lady for a Day is Capra and I generally don't care for Capra. If only they'd put them on DVD, I could stop doing this.
I have a similar must-watch reaction to The Frozen Dead, but given the plot description ("A crazed scientist keeps the heads of Nazi war criminals alive until he can find appropriate bodies on which to attach them so he can revive the Third Reich.") I think you'll agree that that's perfectly understandable.
4. I don't like jewelry. I wore my wedding ring somewhat nervously until the now-twelve-year-old was born and it no longer fit, and never got around to having it resized. I figure I know I'm married, that's all that's important.
5. I never wear a watch.
6. I go to great lengths to avoid watching movies based on comic books. I eventually see them because The Husband rents them, but I put it off as long as possible. Some of them are good movies, but none of them really recreate the comic experience. Regardless, I don't generally find the announcement of a new one to be at all exciting.
7. My main non-comic-related hobby is quilting--I've been doing it for about 17 years (I started just before we got married, after I decided I wanted "a" quilt for our bed :)), I have quite a few, and no one in the house uses blankets. (I also like to knit, but can only make rectangles, and I don't find it to be as obsessive a thing.)
8. When I was 10 or 12, I went to climb the treehouse my brother and I had built the summer before and stepped on a hornet's nest. The hornets were not pleased.
You know, I'm supposed to tag people but I'm so far behind that I have no idea who's done it or not. How about this--if you haven't and you want to, go for it. If not, don't.
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
Literally ignorant commentary on Sinestro Corps
We've been out of town for the past week or so, thus my posts having been even sparser than usual. On the way out, we stopped at a comic book shop. Wasn't going to buy much of anything since our Big Box O' Comics is going to be here sometime this week. But we stopped in, and the twelve-year-old picked up a few of the Runaways books to check out; she likes it. The eight-year-old chose a copy of Amazing Spider-Girl; I think she likes it, though not to the point of wanting to start getting it regularly.
Me? I picked up that Fallen Son: Spider-Man thing, the only one I hadn't ordered (because I'm not a Spider-Man fan, not really). It was all right, certainly not my favorite of the bunch so far. Will reserve final judgment until I've seen the Iron Man issue. Also grabbed the first Ion trade.
I also meant to pick up that Sinestro Corps book. It's the main thing I meant to get.
You know, because everyone on the net has been talking it up and I'm just full of the peer pressure. :)
I didn't, though, because it was sold out. Apparently everywhere.
(I've ordered a copy from my regular subscription service place, so I'm cool.)
You know, I remember seeing it in the previews, and debating with myself as to whether I'd want it, and deciding that, in the end, it didn't look all that good. I don't remember exactly what the preview said but it clearly didn't lure me in.
Now, I tend to some extent to buy comics based on character. Not exclusively, certainly, and I don't run out to get every possible guest shot, but if I see a book in the previews that features a favorite of mine, particularly if that favorite isn't appearing anywhere else regularly, I'll probably get it. So I'm not sure why I didn't add this to my list, since it must have mentioned that Kyle Rayner would be in it (right?), but I didn't.
Of course it won't be here for a while, so I am reading spoilers.
And keeping in mind that I haven't read the book or anything, I can't find myself getting too upset with the development in his storyline.
I've not cared much for Ion, on the whole. It's not that I don't like uber-powerful characters. (Okay, maybe it is. But I don't always dislike them. It's just that it's obviously so hard to write them well, and so often they just aren't. Written well.)
But I don't like Kyle as that sort of character. While he is certainly experienced enough to be an established hero, I really think he is at his best when he retains that link with real-life humanity.
Some characters are wish-fulfillment characters--by which I mean that they are capital-H heroes, they never truly falter. Think of Superman, or Captain America. Even in their respective universes, within their superheroic communities, they're the ideals. It's not the power level that does it, although certainly both Cap and Supes have an unusually high competence level.
Other characters, at heart, really aren't that far from us. Kyle is one of these. And that doesn't mean he isn't heroic, or isn't great. But he's got a lot more of the Everyman in him. He's more relatable.
And there aren't that many characters who do have that "it could happen to anyone" quality. Even among those characters who do start out that way, so often along the road someone decides they need to have a more significant or "meaningful" background, and suddenly
It's kind of a pet peeve of mine. I like the idea that an ordinary person, unexpectedly presented with a power ring or a freak chemical spill accident, will rise to the challenge and become a real hero. I liked the implication, in Kyle's initial appearance as GL, that it was a right-place-right-time sort of thing.
And, although you can have a random-accident origin, average-Joe-who-got-"lucky" kind of hero who's also a powerhouse (you can't really call a GL anything but a powerhouse), having him be the powerhouse is something else.
So, personally, I'm actually pleased if Kyle is going to be powered down after this whole Parallax thing. I think it's likely to make for better Kyle stories in the long run. I'd rather see dramatic tension resulting from struggling to complete a mission (harder to do when a character can pretty much do anything) than from hitting him with one emotional blow after another.
Of course my vote may change after I've actually read the issue in question. :)
Me? I picked up that Fallen Son: Spider-Man thing, the only one I hadn't ordered (because I'm not a Spider-Man fan, not really). It was all right, certainly not my favorite of the bunch so far. Will reserve final judgment until I've seen the Iron Man issue. Also grabbed the first Ion trade.
I also meant to pick up that Sinestro Corps book. It's the main thing I meant to get.
You know, because everyone on the net has been talking it up and I'm just full of the peer pressure. :)
I didn't, though, because it was sold out. Apparently everywhere.
(I've ordered a copy from my regular subscription service place, so I'm cool.)
You know, I remember seeing it in the previews, and debating with myself as to whether I'd want it, and deciding that, in the end, it didn't look all that good. I don't remember exactly what the preview said but it clearly didn't lure me in.
Now, I tend to some extent to buy comics based on character. Not exclusively, certainly, and I don't run out to get every possible guest shot, but if I see a book in the previews that features a favorite of mine, particularly if that favorite isn't appearing anywhere else regularly, I'll probably get it. So I'm not sure why I didn't add this to my list, since it must have mentioned that Kyle Rayner would be in it (right?), but I didn't.
Of course it won't be here for a while, so I am reading spoilers.
And keeping in mind that I haven't read the book or anything, I can't find myself getting too upset with the development in his storyline.
I've not cared much for Ion, on the whole. It's not that I don't like uber-powerful characters. (Okay, maybe it is. But I don't always dislike them. It's just that it's obviously so hard to write them well, and so often they just aren't. Written well.)
But I don't like Kyle as that sort of character. While he is certainly experienced enough to be an established hero, I really think he is at his best when he retains that link with real-life humanity.
Some characters are wish-fulfillment characters--by which I mean that they are capital-H heroes, they never truly falter. Think of Superman, or Captain America. Even in their respective universes, within their superheroic communities, they're the ideals. It's not the power level that does it, although certainly both Cap and Supes have an unusually high competence level.
Other characters, at heart, really aren't that far from us. Kyle is one of these. And that doesn't mean he isn't heroic, or isn't great. But he's got a lot more of the Everyman in him. He's more relatable.
And there aren't that many characters who do have that "it could happen to anyone" quality. Even among those characters who do start out that way, so often along the road someone decides they need to have a more significant or "meaningful" background, and suddenly
- they're descended from royalty/aliens/elves,
- or they're retconned to be an old friend of some major character,
- or their random-encounter origin is determined not to be so random after all,
- or they're revealed to be the unknowing heir to some superheroic legacy,
- or they're revealed to be Destined For Greatness in some way.
It's kind of a pet peeve of mine. I like the idea that an ordinary person, unexpectedly presented with a power ring or a freak chemical spill accident, will rise to the challenge and become a real hero. I liked the implication, in Kyle's initial appearance as GL, that it was a right-place-right-time sort of thing.
And, although you can have a random-accident origin, average-Joe-who-got-"lucky" kind of hero who's also a powerhouse (you can't really call a GL anything but a powerhouse), having him be the powerhouse is something else.
So, personally, I'm actually pleased if Kyle is going to be powered down after this whole Parallax thing. I think it's likely to make for better Kyle stories in the long run. I'd rather see dramatic tension resulting from struggling to complete a mission (harder to do when a character can pretty much do anything) than from hitting him with one emotional blow after another.
Of course my vote may change after I've actually read the issue in question. :)
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